


I Found My Forever

by Alyson



Series: 101 Ways to Fall [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But he is stalkerish, Kelvin Timeline, Kirk is not a Lothario, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, Romance, Wooing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 16:22:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10575021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alyson/pseuds/Alyson
Summary: Jim Kirk had rarely been scared in his life.  But on that shuttle ride to Starfleet Academy, he saw something in a stranger's eyes that terrified him – his forever.  Fear, however, was not about to stop him from making Leonard McCoy his.  The doctor didn't know it yet, but Jim Kirk was the love of his life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm the worst fanfic writer ever! No, but seriously, I'm sorry I've been absent for so long. I can't promise it won't happen again. I can promise it probably will. This absence was due to my husband going overseas for work (we're in the US, if anyone's curious) and me giving our kids all my attention instead of just most of it. They're adjusting well, though. I may be moving this summer, as well, so there may be more interruptions. In the meantime, here's my next story! And the one after this will be based around another story that I read, but more details on that in that story. Ok, I'm done LOL.

The shuttle ride had been more of a life changing event than Jim Kirk had thought it would be – and he had known it was going to change his life forever. But meeting Leonard McCoy, and being thrown up on by him, had suddenly changed his life more drastically than he thought possible. One look into those distressed hazel eyes and Riverside, Iowa's genius repeat offender knew he had found forever.

And it terrified the cheeses out of him.

Not that a little thing like fear could stop James Kirk.

“Looks like our stop. See ya 'round, kid,” McCoy said as they disembarked and everyone split off into separate lines to pick up their schedules and housing assignments.

“Yeah, see ya Bones!” he responded, delighting in the glare the other man shot over his shoulder at the new nick name.

Kirk walked over to the new registration area, noting that, despite his appearance, McCoy had headed over to get his schedule and uniforms. Clearly Star Fleet had been a planned move, but not planned far enough in advance to already have his uniforms like most of their fellow first years. In line with McCoy was a small handful of other students in civilian clothing picking up uniforms. As a matter of fact, Kirk didn't have to wait in a line because he was the only new registrant. An adviser was able to take him directly into an office and interview him for program placement.

“OK, Mr. Kirk,” the adviser was typing into a PADD before handing it over to Jim and turning back to his computer, “there is your schedule, Command Track Semester One, your uniform order has been put into the Quartermaster so you can go directly there after here. Now all we have to do get you a room assignment.”

“Actually, I ran into an old friend on the shuttle ride over,” Jim jumped in, giving the man across from him his most charming smile. “Leonard H. McCoy. He was really surprised to see me. I was surprised myself since, you know, he's pretty well known for his fear of flying, but with that nasty divorce he just went through... anyhow, he suggested we try and room together.”

“Um, well,” the adviser muttered as he typed in the information, pulling up McCoy's room assignment. “Oh, I don't know, Mr. Kirk. This says he specifically requested a single near the clinic...”

“Yes, since he's a doctor and all, he told me,” Jim interjected quickly, hoping he wasn't wrong. McCoy hadn't actually mentioned being a doctor but the way he was going on about disease and ways to die, and now knowing that he had requested a room near the clinic, it was a pretty safe bet he wasn't an engineer. “That was before he knew I was going to be here. He said he'd pick a friendly face over a single.”

The adviser stared at him for a minute. Jim smiled back then began to casually peruse the contents of his PADD as if unconcerned. Finally, the man in front of him sighed and began typing in his computer again.

“OK, I'll take your word for it. I'd normally call and ask him but we're far too busy right now and I doubt he's been assigned his comm unit yet. However, if Dr. McCoy complains you and I will be having a meeting.”

“Yes sir, and thank you. This won't be a problem.”

Kirk headed out of the Administration Building, and using the map he pulled up on his PADD, made his way to the Mess Hall for lunch. The Academy was still, technically, on break, so many older students were walking around in their civvies as well, making Kirk stick out far less than he was afraid he would. The dining area also had a more casual and unhurried feel to it than he would soon find out it normally had. He skipped the replicator and took the time to order a fresh wrap, sitting down to look more closely at the map, his classes and his room assignment.

The adviser had been right to be suspicious of him wanting to room with McCoy over by the Academy Medical Clinic. While that dormitory, full of third and fourth year students, was near the Xenobiology and other Medical and Science related classes, it was on the other side of the campus from the Command Track and Engineering classes. Jim did a quick hack into the main computer systems and pulled up McCoy's class schedule to compare with his own. It wouldn't do at all, he decided. The few classes they had in common were on completely different days and times. They'd never see each other.

Jim began to systematically rearrange his own schedule to match McCoy's. In almost every case, McCoy shared first year classes everyone had to take with Cadet Uhura. Jim took great delight in completely rearranging her schedule as well so he could have those spots. Before long, Kirk and McCoy had the same first year required classes, their different track classes were also at the same time albeit on different sides of the campus, and during McCoy's clinic hours, Kirk had study periods. He didn't intend to use all of the time for study, however. He had to have some time to woo the good doctor and that seemed like the perfect time to show up with food or what not.

Satisfied, Kirk backed out of the system, making sure to erase his tracks. He could have done the same thing with the housing issue, but if he was unable to stop McCoy from complaining he'd rather get in trouble for lying, not for a crime.

*~*~*~*

Jim let himself into his new room and sighed happily. So this is what it was like to be a doctor who could demand a single. The room was still one space but it was a much larger space with clear definitions between the sections. The door opened into a small kitchen that was divided from the sitting area by a bar with two bar stools. The sitting area contained two slightly worn love seats that faced each other over a low coffee table. To each side of the sitting room was a desk and chair, one of which was already stacked with PADDs and books. On the other side of the far love seat was the sleeping area, two beds on opposite walls from each other with a nightstand for each bed and a door that was clearly the bathroom separating them. One of the beds already had a duffel bag and clothing stacked on it and from inside the bathroom, Jim could hear the shower running.

Jim went ahead and deposited his uniforms on the unclaimed bed, set down his text books and PADDs on the desk and headed over to the kitchen to see if he could get a decent cup of coffee out of the replicator. Behind him, he heard the door to the bathroom open, but he didn't turn around, still fiddling with the machine.

“Hey, guess you're the unexpected roommate.”

“Yep, Jim Kirk, nice to meet you,” he said as he turned around ready to feign surprise at recognizing his new roommate.

He didn't have to feign anything. Tall, dark and crazy cleaned up even better than he expected him to. It also didn't help that he was only wearing a towel slung low over his hips, exposing miles of smooth skin and amazingly defined muscles. He would have been standing there looking like a fool with his mouth hanging open if the doctor hadn't reacted at hearing the familiar name.

“Hey, you're the kid from the shuttle.”

“Yep,” Jim replied with utmost intelligence.

“Yeah, sorry about your shoes,” he continued, looking a little more sheepish.

“No harm.” Jim's brain still wasn't firing properly.

“I wondered who they stuck me with. I had specifically requested a single and I walk in to find people from the Quartermaster's office rearranging furniture and adding an extra desk and bed.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm the only late addition and they had nowhere else to put me,” he easily lied, finally regaining his senses. “They didn't tell me who I was going to end up with but said that it would be another first year who would normally get a single. So. Yeah. Sorry.”

“No, I get it,” Leonard nodded. “I only asked for the single to get away from all the children here. You're not as old as me, but you're not a toddler, either, so I'll live. You're not looking to start a second childhood, are you? Throw loud parties and endless hookups?”

“No, no!” Jim assured him. “I'm here to start a new chapter in my life, and I plan to do it in three years, so I'll be far too busy studying to party.”

“OK, good,” Leonard nodded and then turned to his bed to start getting dressed. It was all Jim could do to not ogle him as he dropped his towel and treated Jim to a brief look at the most perfect ass he had ever seen. “Oh, and throw out that awful replicator coffee. Grab a shower and we'll run out to get stuff for the room, including a coffee pot and some decent coffee.”  
“Sounds good! Hey, can I borrow a towel? And a clean shirt?”

McCoy turned and eyed Jim up and down.

“You came here with just the clothes on your back didn't you?”

“Uh, yeah.”

The doctor looked him over again and then started digging in his duffel bag. He came up with more fabric than just the shirt and towel that was requested. He tossed them at Jim and motioned to the bathroom.

“I'll wait for you out here. I have to look over my classes. Those jeans should fit you, they're a little snug on me. And the boxers are new – just keep them. I left my shampoo and stuff in there. I guess we'll be picking you up a new wardrobe.”

“Yeah, I don't need much. Thanks for the loaners, Bones!”

Jim had disappeared into the bathroom before McCoy could formulate a reply to the horrible new nick name. He was sure he would hear all about it when he came out.

*~*~*~*

He did hear all about it, and more, as he and his new friend made their way into town, McCoy grousing almost nonstop about everything he could think of. Jim would have been worried if it weren't for the amused glint in the doctor's eyes as he went on about everything he found annoying. Kirk had to wonder when the poor man had last been allowed to rant. He had been clearly bottled up and was finally able to vent to his heart's content. Jim vowed to give him plenty to complain about in the future. It was clear that was one of his greatest joys.

“Hey, thanks for helping me pick out clothes,” Kirk said from inside a dressing room later in the day. “I'm terrible at knowing what actually looks good on me.”

“Really?” McCoy replied from just outside the door. “Despite all the blood I thought you were dressed fine earlier.”

“Had help with that, too. What do you think about this?”

Jim opened the door and leaned on it, pleased to see the way Leonard's jaw dropped and his eyes widened before he got some control over himself.

“You needed my opinion on a bathing suit?” he asked, sounding like he was choking.

“Yeah. I told you I'm terrible at this,” Jim responded innocently, looking down at the skimpy blue speedo that was all he was wearing. “Too much?”

“Too little,” McCoy gruffed out, eyes still a little blown wide. “You buy that to wear in the Academy pool and you'll never get out unmolested.”

“Huh, you may be right. I've got some swim trunks in here, too. I'll try those on for you.”

“Don't bother! Just get them! They have to be better than what you're wearing now.”

“OK, Bones,” he said, laughing to himself as he closed the door to the dressing room and started to redress. He decided to buy them both.

The shopping trip, all in all, had been a success. They had gotten a few things to make the dorm room more home like, including new bedding for each of them, as well as towels, toiletries and clothing for Jim. Leonard didn't know it, yet, but Jim had bought several pairs of skimpy underwear, similar to the bathing suit that had nearly given the other man a coronary, and he was about to develop the new habit of laying around the room in nothing but. The doctor had given Jim several indications that he found his body aesthetically pleasing, so he hoped he might encourage him to act if he kept seeing him almost naked.

The other good thing to come of the trip was McCoy had stopped fighting the nick name. He no longer complained, huffed, rolled his eyes or showed any other general display of annoyance when Jim called him Bones. As far as he was concerned, that was a major victory.

Jim may not have had much when he left Iowa, but he did have his bank card and plenty of credits available from his last job. The shopping trip hadn't hurt him at all, and had given him more insight into Bone's nature. The man had assumed that Jim had had nothing to his name and was actually going to pay for his things, until Jim assured him that while he appreciated the gesture, it wasn't necessary. Now, as they walked by a local steakhouse on the way to transport station, he thought it was time to really start wooing the doctor, not just trying to seduce him.

“That smells great, doesn't it?” Jim asked, noticing the way McCoy was breathing deeper as they neared the door. “Let's go in.”

“Oh, no, we have our first classes in the morning and shouldn't be out too late...”

“My treat,” Kirk insisted, taking Bones by the elbow and pulling him gently through the door. He only made one more token protest, hardly resisting at all, before he was willingly following a waiter to a table. Jim didn't let go of his arm until they were seated and once they were he took a chance and hooked his ankle around McCoy's under the table.

It wasn't until their meals were placed in front of them that Bones caught his eyes, gave him a smirk, and tugged on Jim's foot with his own.

“The jig is up, you shameless brat,” he said, cutting into his steak. “You are such a flirt. I know damn well you didn't need help deciding if you should buy a skimpy little speedo. You just wanted to watch me splutter.”

“That's not fair,” Jim complained halfheartedly, feeling his face heat up. “I have so many more plans for winning you over. You're not supposed to admit you know what I'm doing, yet. Classes haven't even started!”

A look of melancholy overcame McCoy's face, though a smile still touched his lips and his eyes. He ate a few bites of food, groaning over the steak, before speaking again.

“Jim, you're a beautiful young man and I'm more than flattered that you think you want me, but I assure you, you don't.”

“That's harsh.”

“It's true, though. I've been through the wringer, lately. My marriage... hell, I'm divorced! Isn't that enough to get you to keep your distance?”

“Nope, just enough to encourage me to show you how it's done.”

McCoy rolled his eyes, unable to keep back a bark of laughter. Jim marked that as another point in his favor.

“Just forget it, kid. Now shut up and eat your dinner. This steak is great.”

*~*~*~*

Later that night, Jim lay on his bed, doing some pre-reading for his first class the next day. He was so absorbed in his reading he didn't notice Bones coming out of the bathroom until he heard him yelling.

“Damn it, Jim, you hussy! Put some clothes on over those skimpy britches!”

Score one for the home team!

*~*~*~* 

Leonard had just finished setting the arm of a moron from the security track and was placing the osteo-regenerators when a nurse stuck his head around the corner into the treatment room.

“Someone's here to see you, Dr. McCoy.”

“Thank you,” he replied before turning back to his patient. “Alright, you sit right here and let the regenerators do their work. And next time, when an Andorian class mate challenges you to an arm wrestling match, tell them to stuff it.”

Leonard walked out into the waiting room to find Jim sitting in one of the chairs, a bag on his lap. When he saw him walking towards him, he stood up, smiling.

“What's going on?” he asked, a little suspiciously.

“I noticed you didn't have breakfast,” Jim smiled, holding out the bag. “I brought you lunch.”

“Jim...”

“Hey, it's just food. I promise. Friends do that all the time.”

Still a little wary, McCoy took the bag from Jim and opened it, smelling Indian food from the takeaway closest to campus. Jim looked nervous and a little upset. Despite his best efforts, Jim looking upset triggered an almost panic in McCoy's stomach and he felt he needed to wipe that look off his face.

“Thanks, Jim,” he smiled. “You're right, friends bring lunch, and I appreciate it. I am hungry. However,” he continued, his face morphing right back into a scowl. “I could have gotten up in time to have breakfast this morning before my shift if someone hadn't been up all night.”

“I needed to study.”

“You talk to yourself. Loudly.”

All he got in return was an unrepentant grin.

*~*~*~*

“Hey let's get you up and ready for class before you're late again,” Jim prodded Bones gently one morning a few days later, waving a mug under his nose.

“Whasit?” Leonard responded mostly unintelligibly.

“I'm not sure what that means. What time is it? 0600. That means you can shower, eat breakfast, really wake up and not be late. What's this? This is coffee of the high octane variety. What happened? Major study session for that test you have today. I'm sorry I was only able to let you have four hours of sleep, but I think you could use coffee and breakfast more.”

“Actually,” Leonard finally said after two large gulps of coffee, “the question was 'what are you doing awake at this ungodly hour when you don't have to be?'”

“Now how am I supposed to get that out of two syllables?”

Leonard shrugged and made his way to the shower to help wake himself up a bit more. By the time he walked out of the bath room, pants on, towel drying his hair, he could smell something wonderful coming out of the kitchen. He dropped the towel and walked into the little kitchen to find Jim standing over a pan of eggs. Without thinking, McCoy wrapped his arms around Kirk's waist and peered over his shoulder.

“That smells great,” he sighed, giving Jim a little squeeze.

“Thanks,” he responded with a lopsided smile.

It was then that Leonard realized he was holding onto Jim, bare chest to equally bare back. He did his best to let go and walk away without it seeming like he was running. Jim, not the least bit fooled, grinned as he served up breakfast, counting that as another victory. Despite how awkward he was now feeling, Leonard decided to accept Jim's red cheeks as a victory of his own.

*~*~*~*

“Dear lord, man. Are you wearing a thong?!”

Jim, who had been laying on his bed reading, one leg bent at the knee so he could prop his PADD on it, rolled onto his stomach, just to let Leonard see for sure. Leonard threw a blanket over him.

*~*~*~*

Jim felt like he was walking on a cloud. The weeks had passed in a blur of classes, exams, studying, sparring sessions, flight simulators... all in McCoy's company. He knew he was getting closer to the other man. Bones had stopped fighting him on so many levels. Hell, he wasn't just tolerating Jim touching him, he was leaning into the touches and even initiating some of his own. He had even stopped complaining about Jim's habit of laying around in skimpy attire. Jim knew he had him hooked for certain when Bones openly scanned Jim's mostly bare body up and down with his eyes, a smirk playing over his lips as he bade him goodbye on his way to clinic. That had happened more than once.

He felt confident that it was time to play his final hand. The semester was over and winter break was about to start. He'd have Bones all to himself for two entire weeks. Even the campus clinic was closed. Any emergencies that students who stayed over the break had would be handled by Star Fleet Medical. He may not get the other man in bed, but he hoped to get him to see that they were meant to be and to agree to giving something more than friendship a chance.

“Can you believe it, Bones?” Jim shouted as he walked into the dorm. “Our first semester is already over! Hey, why are you packing?”

McCoy looked up to see Jim stopped in mid stripping of his uniform jacket, frowning at the other cadet. McCoy stopped what he was doing as he was packing up his clothes, looking over at Jim with confusion on his face.

“Like you just said, Jim. The semester's over. I'm going home for winter break. Aren't you?”

“Mom's in space, deep space, research vessel. I... never mind. Have fun!”

Jim ran. Once the door to the bathroom closed behind him, he leaned against it, panting hard. Of course he was going home! He had a family! But for some reason, Jim thought he would realize that Jim wouldn't be leaving and would opt to stay with him. Now he called himself all kinds of foolish. Why would he rather stay with his annoying, sexually frustrating, roommate instead of going home? Jim no longer entertained illusions that he had won the other man over. McCoy had made it clear he was attracted but not interested. The looks and touches really hadn't indicated anything more than that. Of course he looked. He called him beautiful from the beginning. Didn't mean he was worthy. A feeling of despair Jim knew he'd get over washed over him and almost felt like giving up. Almost. He'd wait. One semester might have been too soon for the divorcee, he admitted forlornly to himself.

Leonard stood frozen in the main room, a shirt in his hand. Jim had disappeared into the bathroom before he could say anything. He had been looking forward to the break, to being able to go home and see his mama. Now he was sure the look of utter disappointment then forced cheer on Jim's face would haunt him the entire time.

*~*~*~*

As it turned out, McCoy was wrong. Two days home and Eleanor McCoy (who thought she had raised no fools but was quickly changing her mind where her stubborn youngest was concerned) had packed Leonard back up and sent him off with a box full of baked goods.

“You give those to your young man.”

“Mama!” Leonard exclaimed, scandalized. “He's not my young man!”

“With the way you keep going on about him, he better be.”

Hanging his head in shame, mostly because he was relieved to get back to Jim and he didn't think he should be so glad to leave his family so soon, Leonard climbed into the shuttle back to San Francisco. 

*~*~*~*

When Leonard walked into the dorm room, it was to find Jim asleep. It wasn't so odd that he was asleep in the middle of the day – it was vacation and he needed to catch up on all the sleep he missed during the semester – what was odd was that he was asleep in Leonard's bed. But then, he thought, maybe that wasn't so odd. Damn it, his mamma was right. Jim was his 'young man' and he needed to get with the program. Pronto.

Quietly stripping down to his underwear, though by the way the blankets didn't cover Jim he could see that the other man wasn't even wearing his tiniest pair of underwear, Leonard slipped into the bed behind Jim and wrapped his entire body around him. Jim huffed a little sigh in his sleep that warmed Leonard's heart and wiggled back against him in such a way that warmed the rest of him.

“Jim?” he murmured against his ear.

“Bones,” Jim sighed in reply.

“Darln', wake up.”

“Bones?” Jim turned in his arms, laying on his back and looking up at him with sleepy blue eyes. “You're really here?”

“Yeah, Darln',” he smiled down at him, letting his eyes take all of Jim in while rubbing a large, warm hand over his chest and abs. “I'm sorry I left you here alone. I was so busy running away from wanting you, I didn't think I might be hurting you, not till I did it. And then I couldn't get my head outta my ass for two more days. Forgive me?”

“Yeah,” Jim smiled, wrapping his arms around the mostly naked man in bed with him. “Does this mean you're done running? This isn't pity sex, is it? It took me most of yesterday, but I have recovered my self esteem.”

“I do not believe in pity sex. I only believe in relationship sex. So, yeah, I'm done running. I'm done being without you.”

Leonard leaned in and kissed the man beneath him. Jim moaned and opened his mouth to his tongue, relishing the feel of the hand Bones had been stroking his chest with traveling lower to stroke the insides of his thighs before caressing him in a far more intimate area. Kirk happily helped him out of his underwear and pulled Leonard to lay on top of him, panting hard as he settled between Jim's thighs and slowly ground them both into ecstasy. 

*~*~*~*

“Bones?” 

“Yeah?”

“What's in the box? I swear I smell food.”

Leonard rolled off the bed laughing. And the win goes to the home team!

The End


End file.
